Bathroom Floor Plan Options

This remodeled 15x12-foot bathroom combines the basics -- sink and toilet -- with the luxury of a separate tub and shower in a relatively compact space. The corner shower and freestanding tub occupy one wall, leaving space at the end of the tub for freestanding storage.

On the opposite wall (visible here in the mirror to the right of the shower), built-in cabinetry encompasses a sink, dressing table, and storage. The toilet fits into the corner beside the vanity.

This unusual layout in this 14x14-foot master bath uses space very creatively. Back-to-back vanities form the core of a T-shape arrangement of dressers and glass-front cabinetry. The dressers store clothing, and the glass-front cabinets hold bath linens.

The couple didn't need a bathtub, so they took that space to create a larger, more luxurious shower than the one they had.

Enlarged from its original 10x8-foot size, this 17x10-foot master bath accommodates a soaking tub and a shower as well as a double-sink vanity and a walk-in closet.

Though the space was upgraded, the location of fixtures still had to correspond to existing plumbing lines. This meant that the space available for the soaking tub was unusually small. As a result, the tub came with a price tag to match its custom fit: It was $3,000 higher than normal-size models.

If possible, design your floor plan around standard-size fixtures. You can use the money you save to splurge on materials or hardware.

A typical arrangement of fixtures -- bathtub at one end, shower at the other, vanity and toilet in between -- can result in Zen-like tranquility if you allow some breathing space between functional zones.

In this 8x16-foot bath, the wood-slab counter with wall-hung basins is a few steps away from both the tub and an open shower. The vanity's exposed plumbing fits the utilitarian simplicity of the home's materials. Frosted glass partitions (visible in the mirror) define the toilet compartment.

In this compact bathroom addition, a dressing table and a built-in vanity fill one corner. The tub and shower line up on the end wall and the toilet is tucked into the corner behind a linen closet. The new construction required plumbing in three of the walls.

If you're planning a bathroom addition or remodel that involves multiple "wet" walls, it's a good idea to work with an architect to figure out the best way to arrange the fixtures in the available space, because the plumbing can be complicated.

A compact 5x13-foot bathroom serves as a guest bath as well as a convenience for swimmers using the pool outside. A space-saving pocket door separates the sink area from the toilet and shower, and a window in the shower lets in light from the patio, keeping this basement bath from feeling dark and enclosed.

Old barnwood bought at a salvage yard serves as the vanity countertop. Leaving the area under the vanity open helps the narrow space feel larger.

Remodeled in the 1990s, the master bath in this midcentury modern house went from 8x7 feet to 23x15 feet. A big glass wall is the centerpiece here.

A single sink housed in a 1950s-style console backs up to another glass-and-steel-beam wall that divides the bathroom from the master bedroom. A spa-quality steam shower has convenient access to the pool outside through a door on the opposite (vanity) wall.

Expanding this master bath into what was once a closet doubled its size, making room for twin pedestal sinks, a freestanding soaking tub, a larger shower, and a separate toilet compartment.

Behind and alongside the sinks are 8-inch-deep cabinets that provide more storage space than the typical 3-inch-deep medicine cabinets. Mirrored doors on the cabinetry enhance the sense of space.

The tub sits opposite the vanities in the new space, and the shower and toilet compartment occupy the old bathroom space.

Taking over a walk-in closet allowed this bathroom for two to expand from 10x6 feet to 16x6 feet. The long, narrow space accommodates a soaking tub at one end and a large shower and toilet at the other.

To keep the space from feeling cramped, fixtures and furnishings are clean-lined and contemporary. Smooth limestone walls and countertops and French bluestone floors add the warmth of natural textures. Strategically placed ceiling lights and vanity sconces eliminate dark corners and enhance the sense of space.

Finding the floor space for your dream bathroom may require adding on, in addition to rearranging existing spaces. In this 11x17-foot bathroom, a cantilevered bump-out created an alcove for the tub. On the opposite wall, space reclaimed from the old bedroom lends a spot for a walk-in, glass-enclosed steam shower and a wood-lined sauna.

The toilet is behind a door, to the left of the vanities. This type of layout needs more plumbing work than if all the fixtures were arranged along the same wall, but it provides more floor space and storage area around the sinks.

A layout that groups the plumbing lines along one wall is the most cost-effective kind of plan. In this renovated bathroom, the vanity, toilet, and shower are all new, but they occupy the same locations as the old fixtures.

The money saved on not rearranging the plumbing was spent instead on limestone floor and wainscot tiles, a new shower enclosure, and a handsome mahogany vanity with brushed-nickel hardware.

The most efficient floor plan for a small bath lines up the sink, toilet, and tub along one wall, but if you dispense with the tub in favor of a shower, you can gain some elbow room without sacrificing function.

Removing a privacy wall between the toilet and vanity visually opened up this 7-1/2x11-foot bathroom and made room for a larger vanity. Replacing the standard tub/shower unit with a new tiled shower enclosure also increased the sense of space.

With careful planning, two separate baths can fit into the amount of space normally occupied by a single bath. "Her" bath has a tub alcove on one wall and the vanity and toilet on the other. The vanity in "his" bath shares the plumbing wall with her vanity. His shower and toilet are on the opposite wall.

A bathroom floor plan with three separate plumbing walls offers the most design flexibility but also involves the most complex plumbing work and planning.

This no-frills 6x12-foot bath fits a vanity, toilet, and shower into an L-shape configuration that works around an existing window and door. Standing in the corner opposite the entry, the vanity makes a natural focal point. Beside it, the toilet lies just outside the direct line of sight. The shower fills the corner beside the entry.

To make the small bath feel more open, solid shower walls were replaced with a glass wall on the entry side and a glass door on the toilet side.

This generous master bath groups a 4-1/2-square-foot shower, massive soaking tub, and commode in one marble-lined room. Twin vanities occupy a separate space that serves as a pass-through to the master bedroom.

Frameless showers show off tilework and increase the feeling of spaciousness in a bath. They can be expensive to install, however. The heavy, oversize glass walls extend from floor to ceiling and often must be custom-ordered.

Designed to look like an ordinary room that had been retrofitted to serve as a bathroom, this master bath has an unconventional floor plan. The clawfoot tub sits at an angle that offers a view of the two-sided fireplace. Behind the tub, mirrored doors conceal storage.

There is a separate toilet compartment but the master bath also connects to a powder room that leads to the home's public spaces. This gives the owners the option of having two separate toilets in the master suite.

This 24x8-foot master bath felt cramped and dark, but neither the footprint nor the layout could change. Worn plumbing had to be replaced but existing drains determined the placement of a new jetted tub and glass-walled shower as well as the double sinks at one end of the long room.

To make the space feel larger, white statuary marble covers the floors and walls, frameless glass encloses the shower, and a mirror extends from wall to wall over the sinks. Dark walnut stain on trimwork and the tub apron matches the trimwork in the rest of the house.

This new master bath, designed to allow two people to get ready at the same time, places the bathtub on one wall and the shower on the opposite. A pair of windows on the wall in between fills the room with light.

Two pedestal sinks occupy the wall opposite the windows, as does the toilet, which has its own compartment. Freestanding fixtures instead of a built-in tub and vanities give the room an old-fashioned look, much like the original 1922 architecture.

Part of an entire second-story addition, the master bath has an angled ceiling that climbs from 7 feet to 10 feet, suggesting the feeling of an attic room.

A bay window provides a niche for the deep soaking tub in this master bathroom. Unlike most floor plans that include twin vanities, this plan positions one built-in vanity at the end of the room and another on the wall opposite the tub. A steam shower and separate toilet compartment complete the layout.

Remodeled according to a minimalist aesthetic, this 13x15-foot bath focuses on a freestanding, contemporary tub. The room's centerpiece, it's aligned with the window to take advantage of light and views.

The frameless glass-walled shower keeps the rain-style showerhead from getting the rest of the room wet. Wall-mount vanities crafted from bloodwood appear to float above the slate floors. Positioning them at right angles to each other took advantage of existing plumbing lines for the previous shower and tub.